by Matteo Morelli | On-Ice Picture by Robin Ritoss
Kateřina and Daniel, it’s nice to speak to you. That is your first yr as senior skaters. How do you are feeling moving into this season, already with two Grand Prix project for you, a European Championships and Worlds?
Kateřina Mrázková (KM): I believe I’m having fun with the competitions, as a result of we have been bettering some stuff within the programmes, we attempt to make them extra attention-grabbing. The competitions are principally the identical because the juniors for me, however I’m having fun with the environment in an enormous enviornment.
With two Grand Prix assignments already accomplished (eighth at Skate America and seventh at Grand Prix of Espoo), what classes did you study from them?
Daniel Mrázek (DM): We might have executed significantly better within the free. After Finland, we had one week off, as a result of we didn’t have day off for the reason that summer time and we felt that getting some relaxation and doing one thing completely different would assist us. Then we went dwelling and again to coaching, engaged on the programmes once more, making some adjustments and run throughs.
KM: Within the free dance, I did a mistake within the one foot. I used to be a bit unhappy about it, however I believe the programme general wasn’t dangerous. We did some enhancements on our components, for instance the carry. Till the error, we have been actually proud of the programme, then it obtained a bit worse I believe, but it surely was a great programme general.
DM: We discovered to all the time skate programmes with 100% vitality, to be within the efficiency and to continue learning. We have been discussing what was improper, what we should always enhance, so we work on many elements that we need to enhance, in order that now we have a plan of labor.
KM: It’s completely different to skate in an enormous enviornment with lots of people as a result of the strain is a bit increased, so additionally it is good that we’re practising skating with a whole lot of viewers.
You additionally had your first European Championships (with a ninth place end). How did you are feeling about it?
KM: I believe we did nicely, we’re completely happy. It appears just like the work now we have been doing within the months earlier than this championship is paying off.
DM: After Finland, we labored on all the things. In juniors we have been good skaters, however in seniors it’s completely different, there are such a lot of good skaters, we need to step up and work on our ranges, for instance on the sample step sequence, but in addition all the small print within the programmes.
Did you are feeling any strain stepping up into your senior profession because the Junior World Champions?
KM: No, as a result of now we have no expectations from this season. Our coaches informed us to not anticipate something, we’re new and we’re younger.
DM: However after all we need to do nicely, as a result of we need to present that we aren’t simply staying the identical, we need to enhance and we need to present that we are able to do even higher.
Whereas the rhythm dance this season relies on 80s music, you determined to skate on Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake in your free. How did you determine the content material of your programmes?
KM: For the free dance, we wished to do one thing completely different, a distinct fashion of music in comparison with final season. Ballet music was a bit difficult, as a result of it’s method softer however that’s the reason we selected it, to enhance.
DM: We selected one thing very highly effective as we wished one thing that can make us develop, as a substitute of selecting the identical kind of music that we all know we are able to do. We additionally wished to search out one other fashion and I believe we really feel fairly nicely within the programme.
KM: Within the rhythm dance, we select the music as a result of we needed to!
Do you just like the 80s music normally?
KM: I believe it isn’t dangerous! We favor extra completely different kinds like tango and waltz, however I believe it’s okay.
What are you aiming for this season, being your first senior season?
DM: Because the season goes, we don’t actually have any expectations. We have to enhance our skating expertise, now we have to skate very well within the follow. We additionally want to enhance within the couple connection, within the lifts and in some transitions.
KM: That is one thing to deal with for the very long time.
DM: We’re not going to enhance in a single month!
Let’s take a step again. When did you begin skating? What age have been you?
KM: I used to be 4.
DM: And I used to be 5.
And when did you begin ice dance?
KM: Somewhat bit greater than 4 three in the past.
DM: She was 13 and I used to be I used to be seventeen.
What made you determine to skate collectively?
DM: It was my harm with the ankle: docs informed me that I won’t be able to leap anymore, to do any huge jumps. I additionally felt that it could be dangerous and that in all probability I might not maintain a whole lot of years of my profession, that I might get injured much more, so I made a decision to do ice dance. Kate was one of the best associate for me, after all.
KM: Once we have been younger, our mother was our coach in singles. I believe we might skate fairly nicely for singles, so we simply determined to attempt to skate collectively and it has been going nicely thus far!
Do you are feeling that being siblings helps?
KM: I believe it’s serving to. We’re each very completely different.
DM: It has some detrimental and constructive issues. We’re brother and sister, so typically we are typically extra sincere with one another, scream a bit greater than we’d do to different folks, so now we have to deal with it extra as if we converse to a coach, however it’s nice that now we have a great relationship, we are able to inform all the things to one another.
Let’s mirror in your junior years. You achieved rather a lot, closing this chapter with a gold medal at Junior Worlds. What did you’re taking away with you from these years, transferring into the senior area?
DM: As a result of we didn’t begin doing ice dance after we have been small and we solely began three years in the past, what I take is that we have been capable of go to the highest in juniors in a really quick time and that all the time make me suppose that now we have that potential. I hope that we are able to additionally do it in seniors, sooner or later. So, that is motivating for me.
Are you able to already see a change out of your final junior to your first senior season? Do you are feeling you might be already extra mature and stepping up?
KM: I’ll say we improved a whole lot of issues, however nonetheless we aren’t mature sufficient to match ourselves to somebody who’s older than us, so we nonetheless look a bit younger. However I believe it wants time, it isn’t going to occur in a number of months. We want extra time, however we’re engaged on it!
Do you have got any long-term targets that you’re working in direction of already?
DM: We need to obtain as a lot as we are able to. We are going to attempt to get as excessive as we are able to and we are going to work for that. We are going to see what we are able to do!
Plainly the ice dance motion within the Czech Republic has been rising considerably over the past years, with two high ice dance groups (alongside Natálie Taschlerová and Filip Taschler) attaining vital outcomes. What do you consider this?
DM: It isn’t actually the Czech Republic, it’s Italy! (laughs) It’s Matteo (Zanni, their coach) after all. It’s a coincidence that Natálie and Filip additionally began as a brother and sister and that then we began. They have been the primary to begin this Czech Republic doing nice in ice dance. Once I obtained the harm in singles, I instantly thought that I actually like to skate, so why not do ice dance? In fact, Matteo helps us to attain it as a result of right here in Egna (the place they prepare, on the Younger Goose Academy), now we have a whole lot of alternatives.
KM: Sure, we’re completely happy to have him and naturally additionally the others there.
How does it really feel to coach on the Younger Goes Academy with all these good groups round you?
KM: Once we began ice dance, we have been for a number of months within the Czech Republic with our coach Barbora Řezníčková after which we did the transfer to Italy. We don’t know the way it works somewhere else, however we prefer it right here. For instance, within the Czech Republic, on one skating rink we don’t have sufficient time to work on the ice.
DM: The distinction that I can really feel from singles is that once I was single and I used to be on the ice, there have been 5 different coaches and there have been college students however they have been probably not serving to one another, they have been all by themselves. And right here it’s one workforce. We now have three on ice coaches and a few off-ice coaches. Everybody helps one another, which I believe is one of the best ways. So that’s what I really feel is completely different and I believe that it’s a excellent approach to obtain issues.
Do you wish to stay in Italy?
DM: We simply skate right here. We principally stay on ice!
KM: I truly favor to be within the Czech Republic as a result of I perceive all the things and now we have household there. However additionally it is good to be on this small city in Italy, the mountains and the view are good, I favor a village as a result of within the Czech Republic we stay in a village.
You talked about your coach Matteo Zanni: what number of years have you ever been coached by him?
KM: It has now been three years, for the reason that starting. He did all the things with us.
DM: We did ice dance for 3 months after which we obtained to him, so he’s liable for all the things we do.
Are there any at present competing or retired groups you take a look at and are impressed by?
KM: I believe every couple has one thing, for instance somebody has an excellent method for the carry, somebody has good angle bending. I might not say that there’s only one couple we take a look at, I believe everybody has one thing good.
DM: We need to attempt to take one thing from many alternative {couples}. If I’ve to say names, I believe we are able to say Scott Moir with Tessa Advantage, we each actually like them. I believe that’s how ice dance ought to be executed. However additionally it is true that, as a skater, you can’t attempt to be like them, it doesn’t work like this.
KM: We nonetheless attempt to be ourselves.
When not skating, are you busy finding out? And do you have got any passions aside from ice dance?
DM: Sure, we each research. I research at College, I’m in my second yr. I do it on-line and it’s only for skilled athletes, they make the schedule appropriate for us so we are able to research.
KM: I research in highschool, I’ve two extra years, together with this one. I don’t have actually a lot time to spend on one thing else, however after all I like different issues. For instance, Daniel is enthusiastic about singing and enjoying piano.
Possibly sooner or later you will skate on considered one of your musics!
KM: I don’t suppose so, however we are going to see!
DM: I favor to play one thing completely different than what we skate on.
Is there anything that you simply want to share?
KM: Truly, sure! I heard that many individuals are confused with our music for the free dance (Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake), as a result of we skate on ballet music. It’s actually a ballet story, however many individuals suppose that we skate on the ballet from the film, Black Swan. It has nothing to do with that! I don’t understand how this got here up, however I simply need to say that we skate on the true ballet music.
DM: It’s the one from the orchestra. It’s arduous if you wish to do the ballet story, we need to make it like within the theatre. We’re actually attempting arduous to make it seem like a ballet!
KM: It’s actually arduous to sum up two hours of ballet on 4 minutes on the ice.
Have you ever truly had ballet lessons earlier than?
DM: Sure, we had. Mainly, from after we have been youthful, however it’s regular for each skater, you have got ballet lessons. Now now we have a ballet trainer that got here right here two years in the past. I believe she is one of the best trainer thus far in ballet when it comes to method, you may see that she is de facto good at it. And this yr, we determined that we need to attempt one thing new as a result of we by no means actually skated on ballet earlier than. I believe it’s working nice, additionally for the long run, after we provide you with another concepts, I believe programmes can be very attention-grabbing!
